Miss Delaware Amanda Debus took on allergy awareness as her platform after a severe food allergy sent her to the emergency room in 2010. She will be taking her story to the Miss America Pageant this week.

Amanda Debus (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Keturah Braithwaite (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Keturah Braithwaite (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Katelynn Mayers (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Katelynn Mayers (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Donata Leckie (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Donata Leckie (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Emily Beale (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Emily Beale (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Sarah Timmons (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Mikaila Ryan (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Brittany Lewis (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Brooke Mitchell (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Brooke Mitchell (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

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Katelynn Mayers (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Mikaila Ryan (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Rebecca Gasperetti (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Rebecca Gasperetti (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Amanda Debus (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Amanda Debus (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Amanda Debus (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Keturah Braithwaite (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Keturah Braithwaite (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Katelynn Mayers (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Donata Leckie (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Donata Leckie (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Emily Beale (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

Sarah Timmons (Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

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(Special to Delaware State News/Doug Curran)

There’s a new Miss Delaware: Amanda Debus.

Ms. Debus, who participated in the pageant as Miss First State, was announced as the winner shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday, sparking an uproar from the cheering crowd and tears from Ms. Debus.

She beat out 14 other women Friday and Saturday to claim the crown in the 75th Miss Delaware pageant.

Katelynn Mayers finished second.

Ms. Debus, 23, is the first person to win both Miss Delaware and Delaware’s Outstanding Teen. She won the latter in 2008.

Speaking about an hour after her win, the Middletown resident struggled to describe her feelings.

“I’m in such disbelief,” she said.

She will compete in the Miss America pageant in September. No Miss Delaware winner has ever been named Miss America.

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